1. API Publication Types
From “API Document Format and Style Manual” and “Procedures for Standards Development” the following are “standards”
1. Bulletin and Technical Report: Technical information on a topic generally issued on a one-time basis. Not a standard and is not addressed by the API Procedures for Standards Development requirements.
2. Code: A document intended for adoption by regulatory agencies or authorities having jurisdiction.
3. Recommended Practice: A document that communicates recognized industry practices. Recommended practices (RPs) may include both mandatory and non-mandatory requirements.
4. Specification: Documents that are written in such a way as to facilitate communications between purchasers, manufacturers, and/or service suppliers. Specifications may include datasheets that may be used in industrial transactions.
5 Standard: Standards typically include elements of specifications and recommended practices.
6. Draft Standards: A document that has been developed under these Procedures and is distributed for additional comment. Most draft standards are not published; however, with the approval of the appropriate committee, draft standards may be published for a specified period of time to obtain more widespread circulation to interested parties.

2. API Document Format and Style Manual
See

3. API Document Format and Style Manual (normative means required – informative means useful)

4. API Publication Development Process
Both API Standards Meetings and Standards Developments is governed by:
Procedures for Standards Development
API FIFTH EDITION, APRIL 2016
ALL SC13 OFFICERS AND TG CHAIRMEN SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH AND COMPLY WITH THIS DOCUMENT (Quorum, meeting minutes, voting records etc)

6. SC13 API Publications Work Flow process (part 2)

7. Publications are required to be maintained under one of these options
Revision with changes after the required 5 year review from publication date
Can have one 2 year extension without ballot (7 yr from date of publication)
Reaffirmation (balloted with no changes to document) gives 5 more years from date of reaffirmation ballot vote
After an Edition published and reaffirmed (unchanged document in effect for 10 years) then the next review & ballot can be extended to be a maximum of 10 years after the reaffirmation publication date – rarely allowed
Withdrawal (ballot)
Under 1 & 2 any publication that is not revised, reaffirmed, or withdrawn by SC13 ballot at the end of a maximum 7 years will be withdrawn by API
NOTE: Technical Reports do not require a SC Ballot although not required SC has adopted a 5 year review